<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Extra Protection by sanctum_c</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27441979">Extra Protection</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c'>sanctum_c</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Clerith Week 2017 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Baseball, Bodyguard, Clerith Week, Dating, Developing Relationship, F/M, Flirting, Kissing, Light-Hearted, Materia (Compilation of FFVII), Mid-Canon, Nailbat, Not Advent Children (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Before Crisis (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Compilation of Final Fantasy VII Compliant, Not Crisis Core (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Dirge of Cerberus (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Final Fantasy VII Remake Compliant, POV Aerith Gainsborough, POV Female Character, Pre-Relationship, Relationship(s), Swords, Talking, Turks (Compilation of FFVII), Video Game Mechanics, Weapons, baseball bat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2017-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2017-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:20:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,090</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27441979</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Aeris twisted the weapon around and studied it. The nails all looked discoloured, rusted or bent, but were still sharp. Should still be capable of causing a fair amount of damage. She hefted the bat and tested the weight. The bat moved easily with a few experimental swings. "I think I can make use of it."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>More swings, the bat swishing through the air. At first she swung as if to hit an invisible ball; soon it was to strike at an imaginary opponent. Connecting this with a monster skull would do far more damage than the blunt edge of her staff. "My staff's no good for close-up fighting. What if something does get right up close to me? What then?" She studied the bat again and rested it on her shoulder.</i>
</p><hr/><p>Aeris looks over Cloud's weaponry as they take a break.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Clerith Week 2017 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2001052</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Extra Protection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the prompt 'baseball'</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aeris crept closer as Cloud withdrew the last sword from his harness. He placed it on the ground beside the others, shrugged the heavy-duty webbing over his head and sat down heavily. "I'm impressed," she said.</p><p>Cloud's lips twitched into an almost smile before he flopped onto his back with a sigh. "Just need a minute," he murmured.</p><p>She nudged the nearest hilt with her foot. "You could sell some of them you know. No need to carry each and every one of them." Aeris crouched and pulled at the nearest sword. She could raise the blade from the ground, but more than that would be beyond her. That Cloud could wield them at all was impressive. To move with such speed and grace as he did was a testament to the effectiveness of the SOLDIER enhancements.</p><p>"I guess." Cloud sighed and sat up, hunching forward. "But they do all have their uses."</p><p>"Uh-huh." Aeris glanced at him and turned back to his weapon collection. "Were you as much of a hoarder back when you signed up with Shinra?" Wait; that wasn't a sword hilt.</p><p>"A hoarder?" He frowned. "I..." Cloud shook his head. "Never had much to hoard." He flinched and looked away from her into the wilderness.</p><p>"Didn't mean to upset you. Just curious." The weapon looked a lot like the wooden bats people used in baseball games back in Midgar. Unless she had missed something, none of those bats had what had to be a hundred nails driven into one end.</p><p>"Not upset." Odd note of panic in his voice. He made a frustrated noise. "There's something-"</p><p>"Do you need this one?" Aeris picked up the bat. Her movements dragged Cloud's attention back onto her.</p><p>"Careful with that-" He held out a hand to stop her; she pulled the bat out of his reach and shifted the weapon in her hand.</p><p>"There's really an ideal circumstance for something like this?" Aeris raised a questioning eyebrow.</p><p>"Well-" Cloud shot her an embarrassed smile and scratched at the back of his head. He pulled a sword onto his lap, rubbing at some invisible imperfection in the blade with his fingers.</p><p>Aeris twisted the weapon around and studied it. The nails all looked discoloured, rusted or bent, but were still sharp. Should still be capable of causing a fair amount of damage. "There's no materia slots. Are you sure this one has a use?"</p><p>"Okay, I haven't actually had a chance to use that one."</p><p>Aeris hefted the bat and tested the weight. "Any particular reason?"</p><p>"Doesn't have the reach of a sword."</p><p>She nodded and got to her feet. "Not as useful for you." The bat moved easily with a few experimental swings. "I think I can make use of it though."</p><p>"The staff gives you more reach." Cloud looked up at her, gaze tracking the bat as she gave it another swing with as much force as she could muster.</p><p>"I know." More swings, the bat swishing through the air. At first she swung as if to hit an invisible ball; soon it was to strike at an imaginary opponent. Connecting this with a monster skull would do far more damage than the blunt edge of her staff. "But my staff's no good for close-up fighting. What if something does get right up close to me? What then?" She studied the bat again and rested it on her shoulder.</p><p>Cloud smiled. "Okay, you have a point. But I promise I won't let that happen."</p><p>"I'm glad you care so much about my safety; you're very sweet." She grinned back at him. He looked worried as she let the grin fade. "But..." She bounced the bat against her shoulder. "Say you're not with me. What then?"</p><p>"Hey." He pointed at himself. "Bodyguard. Remember?"</p><p>"That you are." Interesting he held onto that after everything else that had happened. "But what if you're distracted or fighting something else? What if-" She swung the bat with both hands. Even the Turks would think twice if they came near her when she had this. "What if you're fighting Sephiroth and - I don't know - the Turks come at me?" Her hypothetical situation seemed to have put Cloud into a quandary; he frowned and stared down at the ground. "Could happen. And if it can happen, I would like to make sure I'm not going to get captured or killed." She swung again. "I reckon I can handle this one." Aeris smiled at him. "So; can I borrow it?"</p><p>Cloud stared at the bat for a long moment, glanced up at her and sighed. "It's a pretty primitive weapon. There's a lot you'd need to bear in mind-"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I know. Be careful. Don't touch the pointy bits." Aeris nodded and crouched beside him. "I'll be careful." Cloud still seemed to be mulling the request over. "You said this one doesn't have a good reach and you've never had a chance to. And it seems an odd choice given the lack materia sockets." Still nothing. "Okay, so, if the situation arises when you need it, I'll trade you for one of the others-"</p><p>He blinked. "That doesn't seem a good idea. You could hardly-"</p><p>Aeris talked over him. "Let me worry about that. I want another weapon to hand. Like if worse comes to worst, or you're somewhere else, or I'm on my own-"</p><p>"Alright, alright!" Cloud huffed and folded his arms. "You can borrow the bat."</p><p>"Thank you, Cloud." Aeris kissed his cheek. Cloud sucked in a hasty breath and Aeris paused. "Cloud?" He turned to look at her and she kissed his lips. A moment passed. And another. Difficult to stop, but- She pulled back. "Really. Thanks." Aeris bounced up onto her feet; Cloud's face was bright red. "We should probably catch up with the others." She strolled towards the path and the agreed meet-up point for today.</p><p>"Hey, wait up!"</p><p>Aeris walked for a few more paces as metallic clangs sounded behind her. She turned on her heel; Cloud was trying to gather up all his blades and slot them back into the harness as fast as possible. "Really, thank you for this!" Cloud was solely focused on his arsenal and did not respond. "I'll consider it an additional debt. So..." A grin he missed. "If the first date goes well, this'll guarantee you a second." Not convinced he heard that, but it would be a nice surprise for the future. Aeris strolled on and waited for Cloud to catch up.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>